AN ICE CREAM BIRTHDAY CAKE

There comes a time in your life when age doesn't matter anymore. 

I really don't care how old I am... 'honest';) So there is no need to ask for my age.... because it matters not.

You see...and I'm sure you will agree with me...that at my or our or your age.....it is not how old I or we or you am or are that bothers me or us or you but how old I or we or you appear to be that matters. Agree ? Yes? No?

I assume that is what they mean when they say "Age is just a number".

But when you reach a certain age...where once you took a year to age a year you now take a day to equal that. Unless you were born just 'yesterday'.

Think about it....at what age would you start to check the mirror for a new line on your face? At what age would you start to check the firmness of your assets?  At what age would you start to measure the size of your pores? Or to count the strands of hair that gravitate to the ground? Everyday. At what age.... I ask you....at what age would you begin to measure and to count?
 

And/Or......At what age.... would you start to scrutinize the lines and fats of others in order to provide yourself with some comfort. I ask you.

 'At my age?'. 

But who cares........ 'Age is just a number'.

I wish a very happy birthday to my dearie and wonderful second daughter who is not quite counting nor scrutinizing. Yet. 

We celebrated her __th birthday this very evening.


This picture was taken some light years ago. She's a totally grown up young woman now. 

This is an ice cream cake. A nice creamy chocolate ice cream sandwiched between 2 layers of a very lovely,moist and fluffy Rose Levy's American sponge Cake. Covered with whipped cream, scrolled on and accented with some pink chrysanthemums. The ice cream part requested by hers truly. The rest is history.

It was quite stressful working with whipped cream and ice cream in my warm/hot little kitchen. So the slathering of the cream on the cake and the scrolling was done in quite a rush for fear of the ice cream melting within. 

I used a Wilton no. 6 plain round nozzle for the piping. I wished I had used a no. 4 which would have created a finer line.


Full credit for the design goes to Deeba of Passionate about Baking. Deeba is the Queen of Desserts and the design is her own original creation of which I'm mad about. So simple yet so chic. Thank you Deeba for sharing your Art.

I rushed to the wet market this morning to get those pink chrysanthemums. And I thought they went perfectly well with the pink ribbon that I have had in a corner for ages. 

I also like the fact that art does not equal symmetry. I adore imperfection in art. Deliberate imperfection. Perfectly imbalanced art. 

I hope those are enough excuses for the lopsided ribbon-ing of the cake.

The main dish for the birthday dinner was a spiced shoulder of lamb.

The recipe for the sponge cake.............from Rose Levy Beranbaum's book, The Cake Bible.......

Nancy Blitzer's Classic American Sponge Cake

2 T water
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 tsp grated ,emon zest
1 1/3 cups sifted cake flour
1 cup sugar
6 large eggs, egg whites and yolks separated
3/4 tsp cream of tartar


Preheat oven to 350 F or 170 C


In small bowl combine water, vanilla and lemon zest.
Remove 1 T of the sugar and reserve to beat with the whites.


In another small bowl whisk together the flour and 3 tablespoons of the sugar.


In a large mixing bowl beat the yolks and the remaining 3/4 cup ssugar on high speed for 5 minutes or until the mixture is very thick and ribbons when dropped from the beater.Lower the speed and gradually add the water mixture. Increase to high speed and beat for 30 seconds. Sift the flour mixture over the yolk mixture without mixing in and set aside.


Beat the whites until foamy, add the cream of tatar, and beat until sofr peaks form when the batter is raised.


Beat in reserved 1 T sugar and beat until very stiff peaks form.Add 1/3 of the beaten whites to the yolk mixture and fold in gently with a whisk or large skimmer until incorporated. Gently fold in the remaining white in 2 batches.


Pour into pan. Run a knife through the batter to prevent air pockets. Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean.


The recipe recommended  an ungreased  2 piece 10 inch tube pan. I used a 9 inch round cake pan, grease and lined bottom with paper.

I sliced the cake into 2 layers and slathered softened chocolate ice cream on one layer and topped with the other. Then I whipped two cups of whipping cream to cover the cake completely and to pipe the scroll design all over.